Not Perfect
by Circuit 347
Summary: We all know that Sonic helped Tails out when he was being bullied, but perhaps the young fox had an effect on Sonic as well. Contains brotherly fluff and weird crap involving vacuum cleaners. T because of references to alcohol.


"Sonic, pass me the wrench," Tails said from where under the belly of the Tornado, where he was currently working.

"Which wrench? You have like, seven," Sonic remarked.

"The red wrench,"

"You don't even have a red wrench,"

"Yeah, I do. Check my tool box,"

"Where's your tool box?"

Tails groaned in frustration. "In the corner behind the vacuum cleaner Amy lent us,"

"Oh... _that_ vacuum," Sonic chuckled nervously.

"Sonic, what'd you do?" Tails asked, expecting the worse.

"I maaaay have possibly broke it,"

Tails slide out from under the plane with a clenched jaw.

"Just so you know, it was Knuckles's idea to fill the bag thing with whipped cream. I just went along with it," Sonic explained.

"Why would you _ever _do something so stupid?!" Tails gaped.

"I was a bit drunk and Knux dared me to,"

"Drunk? I didn't know you drink,"

Sonic sighed. He really didn't want to relay the tale of how the Hero of Mobius used to have bad drinking habbits. It wasn't like there was anything _wrong_ with drinking responsibly, but Sonic had overdone it.

"Uh, dude, no one's perfect," he told Tails.

"Yeah, but... I guess that sort of thing seems kinda out of character for you," Tails responded. "Anyway, wrench. Pronto."

"Aye, captain,"

Sonic dug past the broken vacuum cleaner and pulled out Tails's red tool box. He set it on the ground, opened it, and pulled out the red wrench. He walked back over to Tails and handed it to him.

"Thanks," the kitsune said. "Finally..." he slid back under the plane. "So, Sonic, how often doyou drink, anyway?"

"Not as much as I used to," Sonic popped his fingers and leaned back against the plane.

"I'm asking how much you do it _now_," Tails retorted. "I know you like dodging questions, but I'm not trying to judge you,"

"Oh, just a Bud Light here and there," Sonic drawled. "Why?"

"I was just making sure you didn't have some drinking problem,"

"Well, I don't,"

"Good,"

A few moments of silence passed with nothing but the sound of the wrench turning screws before Sonic spoke up. "You know, you actually helped me out,"

"How?"Tails asked as he slid out from under the plane.

"Well..."

* * *

Flash back to two years ago.

Sonic was running rather shakily. He had just left the tavern and was a tad intoxicated. Okay, not a tad. He couldn't hardly even run in a straight line.

The cool ocean breeze rustled around his quills and filled his nostrils. Now he kinda wished he had ordered a margarita...

He was about to turn around to go back to the tavern when he heard soft sobbing. He skidded to a halt.

He looked around to see a young fox, curled up on a boulder nearby the beach. The fox was probably six, maybe seven years old. He was orange with cyan colored eyes. The most stand outish feature was his two tails that wrapped around his body protectively.

Sonic walked up to him. "Hey, kid, you okay?"

The fox snapped to attention. Upon meeting Sonic's gaze, he whimpered and hopped off the boulder.

"It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you," Sonic assured.

"That's what they all say!" the child sniffed. He was covered in bruises and was putting too much weight on his left leg. He was so skinny he looked anorexic. His fur was matted and he looked terrified.

Sonic's heart panged at the sight.

"You can trust me," he told the kitsune. "How about you tell me your name?"

"Miles Prower," the fox replied nervously. "Go ahead and make fun of me, already,"

"Why would I do that?"

The fox, Miles looked at Sonic like he were crazy. "Uh, _hello?_ My tails. I'm a freak,"

"Seriously?" Sonic said. "I've seen way more messed up guys. I can tell you with absolute certainty that you're no freak. Besides, what's so fun about being completely normal, anyway?"

Miles took a moment to think before answering. "I don't know,"

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't have parents. They're dead. I live in the woods by myself,"

Sonic immediately regretted bringing up parents. Miles hunched back a little, obviously feigning back unpleasant memories.

"If it makes you feel better," Sonic said. "my folks are gone, too,"

Tails looked up at him, contemplating.

"How about you hang with me?" he offered. "You look like you're starving. I can get you something to eat,"

"You're... not gonna trick me?" Miles asked, slightly smiling. "Cross your heart?"

Sonic drew a line across his chest. "Cross my heart,"

* * *

"So... you were drunk when we first met?" Tails asked as he changed the plane's oil.

"Not horribly, but yeah," Sonic confessed. "I was,"

"So, how did I help you?"

* * *

Sonic had started letting Miles, whom he had nicknamed 'Tails' camp out with him, since he didn't exactly have a permanent residence. It wasn't because he was poor or anything. It was merely a lifestyle choice.

"Sonic, I'm thristy," Tails whined as he and Sonic sat at a fire pit in front of the Tornado.

"Check the cooler," Sonic replied. "I think there's some soda you can have,"

Tails climbed jnto the Tornado's cock pit and pulled out the said cooler from under the seat. Inside were several cans of Coke, Sprite, and Orange Crush. However, there were also blue bottles that said Bud Light. He was curious about what they were, so he pulled one out and took it back to the fire place.

Sonic spotted the bottle in his hand and sighed, "Not that. Anything but that,"

"What is it?" Tails asked.

"Something you're way too young to drink. Now put it back,"

"If you can drink it, then why not me?"

"Because I'm old enough. You're not,"

That was a lie. At the time, Sonic was only fourteen. It was illegal for him to even have possession of alchohol. The only reason he got away with going to the tavern was because the owner himself was often in a drunken stupor.

That lie in itself made Sonic realize that he really needed to change.

* * *

"I thought you never lied," Tails said patronizingly.

"I lied about that, too," Sonic admitted. "Tails, I told you, I'm not perfect."

"Well, _that's_ the truth,"

"Hey!"

* * *

A month or so after Tails got caught with Sonic's Bud Light, he woke up to the sound of crashing against the wall in the rented apartment they were currently staying in. Tails looked into the hallway to see Sonic stumbling, holding his stomach. He smelled like that weird Bud Light stuff he'd found.

"Sonic, are you okay?" Tails asked nervously.

"Yeah," Sonic croaked. "Just... sick..."

Sonic held his mouth and ran into the bathroom to throw up in the toilet. Tails approached him and held back his quills as he vomited.

"You need a doctor?" Tails asked. He handed him a towel.

"No," Sonic said quickly. He used the towel to wipe his mouth and leaned back against the door, squinting his eyes shut like he was in pain. "I'm fine. Just a little under the weather,"

"You keep saying that your fine, but you're throwing up," Tails pointed out.

"What? Is it a crime to have a stomach bug?" Sonic asked. "Relax, I really am fine,"

Why did Sonic not want a doctor? Why was he so stubborn? Was he afraid they'd give him a shot or something?

* * *

"So that was actually a hangover," Tails analyzed. "That's why you didn't want to see a doctor. You were afraid they'd find alchohol in your blood stream,"

"Pretty much," Sonic said.

"And here I thought you just hated shots,"

"Well, that too,"

Tails took a cloth and wiped the grease off his face. "I remember more times after that when you were throwing up and smelled like beer. Were you some kind of binge drinker?"

"I was just a kid that was over his head," Sonic replied. "But after I met you, I found myself drinking less and less. I guess having an impressionable young kid around kinda encouraged me to change my habbits. I didn't want you to deal with drunken stupors and hangovers like I did,"

"Does this mean I'm not allowed to drink?" Tails asked.

"Not as an eight year old. It could seriously stunt your growth,"

Tails slouched.

"Oh, gimme a break. You're missing nothing," Sonic said in exasperation. "I'll tell ya what. How about when we finish fixing the plane-"

"When _I _finish fixing the plane," Tails corrected.

"When _you _finish fixing the plane," Sonic said, rolling his eyes. "we can take a ride. Sounds good?"

"Can I fill a vacuum with whipped cream like you did?"

"So much for being a good role model," Sonic lightly socked Tails in the arm. "How about a milkshake?"

"Deal,"

**I wrote this fic out of pure boredom. Since I'm not exactly taking it seriously, please refrain from nit picking.****Sayunara!**


End file.
